Just How Many Times Do You Have to Try? Lessons in Persistence From Author Kathryn Stockett

Kathryn Stockett is familiar with rejection. In a recent article, Ms. Stockett shared her publication journey for her book, “The Help,” about African American maids working in white households in Jackson, Mississippi during the early 1960’s.

Ms. Stockett faced 60 rejections over the course of three and a half years before finding a home for her story. Her journey is a lesson in never giving up on your dream and trying even when things look their darkest.

Here is her reflection of one of her darker moments after her 40th rejection in which she received the following message: “There is no market for this kind of tiring writing.”

…That was a hard weekend. I spent it in pajamas, slothing around that racetrack of self-pity—you know the one, from sofa to chair to bed to refrigerator, starting over again on the sofa. But I couldn’t let go of The Help. Call it tenacity, call it resolve or call it what my husband calls it: stubbornness.

But she didn’t give up and would go on to receive 20 more rejections before “The Help” would be published. A movie version of “The Help” was released in theaters last week and tied for No. 1 in the box office.

So what lessons can we take away from this experience? I would say that the biggest lesson that we take away from her story is that persistence pays off, and to never give up if you really believe in what you are doing, and that is important for everyone to remember.

I agree with you, it certainly requires persistence. My picture book was rejected 14 times before it was accepted. My current WIP has been rejected 24 times and is now taking on a completely different form, but I have already put 11 years into it, I may as well keep going.